UAE: Meet the teen on a mission to preserve local trees and plants

Growing up close to a beach in Dubai, a number of children Karan Shroff’s age would be headed to the sea. Karan, however, looked forward to the trips to the nearby Safa Park. Greenery captivated him. It made him curious about nature. It only helped that as Karan grew up, he began to get acquainted with the science behind it. “I learned more about the benefits of earth’s environmental systems in school and biodiversity through travel,” says the 17-year-old. “In countries filled with greenery, I always felt more relaxed and grounded. Therefore, whenever I entered a foreign country, I often found myself staring at towering trees and gardens.”

Today, the culmination of that interest is Beneath The Desert Sky, a book on the UAE’s local flora and fauna that Karan has penned. It is born out of a fascination for local species that developed once Karan’s family moved to Dubai Hills neighbourhood. “I learned to appreciate tree-lined streets. It made biking and walking around the community much more inviting. After a year in the neighbourhood, I began to wonder which environments the foliage was native to. Discovering most trees planted in Dubai were foreign, I began researching what plants were actually native to the UAE and the benefits of using them.”

It took two months for Karan to finish work on Beneath The Desert Sky. The process started with initial research, followed by many days of travel around the country to places of natural beauty in order to photograph indigenous trees. “Towards the end, I finalised the descriptions with some newfound knowledge of encountering the local fauna in real life. Finally, I formatted the book into what it looks like today.”

The obvious challenge was the limited information online on the UAE’s indigenous fauna. “While some websites talk about the subject, they only focus on a few popular species with little details. This caused me to venture around the country to do my own research at natural sites that contain local species,” he says. “Nevertheless, I enjoyed working through these challenges because the most rewarding writing process was actually this. It was at the intersection of my love for travel as well as my curiosity about natural green spaces.”

Karan says that the UAE’s unique climate and ecosystem offers a rich variety of indigenous plants that are naturally adapted to thrive in arid conditions with minimal water. By integrating these native species into our landscapes instead of foreign ones, we can significantly reduce water consumption, promote biodiversity, and create green spaces. “In addition to native flora’s environmental benefits, they help create pristine places of natural beauty, my favourite of which is Al Ain Oasis. Sprawling over 1,200 hectares and containing more than 147,000 date palms, the culture site makes it easy for you to forget that you are in the middle of a desert. A close runner-up would be Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary with its flamingos, mangroves and stunning city backdrop,” says Karan, adding that there are over 40 million date palms in the UAE.

This year, more than any other, we acutely felt the impact of the changing climate with temperatures at an all-time high in several parts of the world. How does this impact local flora? Karan says climate change and urbanization are reducing the number of indigenous plants around the globe. “As a city expands, it demands more land and that land has to be cleared with all the local flora on it. This applies to the sea as well: dredged lands to build islands clear the coral reefs under them. Climate change is inducing drier conditions, which means less water for plants to survive on. Moreover, harsher storms as a result of climate change often uproot many plants. With these facts in mind, it is clear that there is a need for change and a push for a more sustainable future.”

To spell this message out loud and clear, Karan has set up Emirates Green Initiative. “While writing the book, I learned the importance of integrating local fauna instead of foreign ones into our cityscapes to create a greener future for the UAE,” he says. “With that vision in mind, I decided to tackle the biggest source of foreign planting and water waste — local businesses. As of now, we have partnered with five companies based in the UAE and have started working to promote sustainability in their work. As the initiative has expanded, so has its mission. Now, along with promoting the use of indigenous plants, the Emirates Green Initiative advocates the use of eco-friendly construction materials considering their positive impact and relative ease to incorporate.”

Today, Karan’s peers have not only supported this endeavour but have followed his path. “Moreover, the companies the Emirates Green Initiative have partnered with deeply identify with the foundation’s mission and are excited to push for greener business activities,” says Karan. “In the future, I hope to study sustainability and urban environments in order to better promote green practices in cities. Furthermore, I hope to be able to personally contribute to tree planting around the globe, helping communities and the environment simultaneously.”

INDIGENOUS TREES

Grey Mangrove

The Grey Mangrove is integral to the UAE’s coastal ecosystem, forming expansive forests covering 4,000 hectares across all seven emirates, with a significant 2,500 hectares concentrated in Abu Dhabi. These trees serve as crucial stabilisers of the coastline and create specialised habitats for diverse marine species. Thriving in brackish waters, Grey Mangroves possess the unique ability to filter salt, enabling them to extract freshwater from saline environments, highlighting their remarkable adaptation to coastal conditions.

The Ghaf

The Ghaf tree, cherished as a symbol of peace and the UAE’s national tree, thrives across the country despite extreme drought conditions, growing up to 25 meters tall even in temperatures reaching 50°C and receiving less than 75mm of annual rainfall. Its woodlands support diverse insect populations, attracting reptiles, birds, and other wildlife, thereby fostering a rich ecosystem. Historically, it has been valued by bedouins for its nutritious young leaves and seed pods, as well as for medicinal purposes such as eye drops from its leaves, ear drops from crushed pods, and relief from toothaches by chewing its leaves. Some Ghaf Trees have lived over a century, bearing witness to the nation’s profound evolution and growth.

Samur

Common throughout the UAE, the Samur tree typically reaches heights of 2 to 4 metres, offering vital shade and serving as a natural gathering place for desert wildlife. This tree holds a notable place in traditional medicine, historically employed to treat paralysis through a belief that passing smoke over the affected limb expelled the cause of paralysis. Primarily, it was utilised as fodder for camels, oryx, and gazelles, demonstrating its practical importance in sustaining local fauna.

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